Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Banned Books to Add to Your TBR List

by Deb Baker (aka Hannah Reed)

Several years ago, a small (but extremely loud) committee of parents with kids in my local high school began a campaign to ban one particular book in the senior modern lit curriculum. After the first meeting with the school board, it became apparent that this group had an issue with more than just one title. They had a list. A long one. And they wanted more say in the selection process.

I’m a former librarian and book lover, so this group and my group and the school board and the teachers went many rounds. The banners lost. Sort of. Because the book in question hasn’t been part of the curriculum since that semester.

But here’s what happened. Oh…do you want to know the name of the book? It was The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. Sure, it has disturbing content. But it tackles issues our kids deal with every day. Nothing they don’t already know about and at some time have to face. I thought the book was powerful.

Anyway, because of the controversy, the book flew off the shelves in all the surrounding bookstores. Everybody read it! We probably helped make the author’s career.

So, I had to chuckle when the newest, latest wanna-bans came out. My TBR list is growing!

Here’s the latest:

On Monday, the American Library Association released its list of the top 10 most frequently challenged books of 2010.

This year's top 10 are:
1. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson Reasons
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
3. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
4. Crank by Ellen Hopkins
5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
6. Lush by Natasha Friend
7. What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones
8. Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich
9. Revolutionary Voices, edited by Amy Sonnie
10. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer